Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1887-01-06


sault upon him for taking Off tho
bride, and is relic OF the ancient Gus
tom of marriage by capture. The we'd
ding OF Princess Elizabeth at Whitehall
Chapel was the first in England where
many hridem1ids were in attendance.
On IN occasion there were sixteen love-
ly young girls OF the highest families in
tho realm. their number representing
the years of the br dc. This style will
not likely present itself TO the maidens
of to-day. as The agc for marrying is
moro advanced than in those times. In
stead of beng led TO the hymeneal altar
10y male relative, Anglo-SaNon brides
W re escorted Ly ma;ron, and from
the largely increasing demand for chap
crons on any and every occasion we
may look for their return ~ an impor-
tant factor at weddings. The fashion OF
sending presents TO bride Is relic oil
the earliest marriage, when the con.
tracing parties would send out "bid-
dngS" to friends and strangers. invit.
Ing them to the fcstivit Is and soliciting
contribution toward the eN-
pcnSeS. At tn present day this
taxation. with or without repre-
scntation, is becoming more and more
of an institution. for while there is no
mention made on our car,ls of "bid-
ding" our friends and acquain,anccs
know hy tacit con>cn, what j. It's double
meaning. and the young married peo-
pie who have y large list Of friends are
prepared 10 go to housekeeping with
many luNuricS made possible through
these gifts from the wedding guests.
The dowerpursc which was prcscntcdto to
the bride by the groom rs n part % the
ceremony WIS taken in charge by the
first brdcmaid. and the money this
contained was the first inStalmcnt OF
the wife, allowance.
The origin OF tie bridal vail is lost in
antiquity. as this and pure whilcncss OF
costume are two OF the characteristics
of marriage garp which have long been
important. Il has been suggested that
the fashion of wearing the hair flowing
preceded the vail. and gave rise to It.
The style has frequently changed, how
ever, in regard TO the u,c of i, rs in
the rei.n OF &C re III. 1t was never
worn by iash enable bride.
While innovations have been made in
every particular Of the marriage cere-
mony. the ring has never lost It's im-
portant place. AMI so essential was II
thought to be that many of our an
cc>'ors would have considered their
marriage null and void without il. In
dccl. there are many cases on record,
where, in the om ss'On OF Convcn-
tonal band of god, the mot homely
.ub,t tutcs have been us'd; the rings oil
curtains. for example, or circle cut in
leather. Jus, so the symbol OF uncnd-
inc love and fidelity was employed. they
were content. In our own city. in COM
pa a,ivcly recent wears, a couple were
un ted W tn a tn mblc. the groom hav-
ing through mlstak, put the wrong box
in his pocket. ~ early rs the bronze
age rings were exchanged by lovers as
pledges Of uncnding devotion, and were
on occasions employed not only TO seal
the contract, but 10 introduce the tender
subject. For example:
"Givc me" said Iubin to his fair,
To whom he wrv!t 30 more than friend,
"Givc me the lit,ia ring you wear.
lis like my luve-it has no end"
"Fxcusc me, sir; no longer sue.
MY love YOU have no hope OF winning,
This rins l. like my love for you
For surely 1t has no beginning"
In England the most popular love-
ring was Tor IA long time tie Gimmcl
ring. formed of two narrow gold bands.
which were broken apart ut the he
trothal. each of the contracting parties
wearing one on the engagement finger
the fourth on the left hand-un,il the
wedding day, when thesc Danus were
again united and placed on the BRIDES
finger. This was very suggestive. for
the ring was bat the pledge which was re-
deemed mt the altar There are several
theories in regard to the fashion or
wearing the engagement ring on the left
hand. The most poetic. however. is
that nerve connects this directly with
the heart. To the maiden of the nine
tcenth century the ''pcrfcct arrabo," or
the assured pledge of perfect promise,
is solitaire" sufficiently large and
brilliant to stir up feelings ofcnvy in the
hearts of less fortunate iiances, while tho
wedd ne ring is most frequently plain
band without gcmS. and is considered
of far less Importance than the bc,rothal
1inIericdR.